Posted on 01/21/2025

Silversea Returns to Antarctica with Three Ships and up to 80 Landing Sites 

We are delighted to be back exploring the legendary white landscape of Antarctica. Three of our ships — Silver Endeavour, Silver Cloud, and Silver Wind — are currently undertaking a program of 34 voyages in the austral summer as part of one of the broadest and most diverse Antarctica offerings in luxury expedition travel. 

Our Antarctica season kicked off with Silver Endeavour hosting guests on an 18-day voyage to South Georgia, the South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Highlights of that voyage included the thrilling moment when guests witnessed a pod of approximately 50 orca whales; a landing at the very rarely visited site of Baily Head in the South Shetland Islands, which is home to approximately 45,000 pairs of chinstrap penguins; and calls in the scenic destinations of South Georgia, Wilhelmina Bay, and Neko Harbor. 

We take pride in our history of leadership and innovation in experiential luxury polar travel. On a recent scouting trip, our teams identified 22 new landing sites, bringing our total Antarctic landing sites up to 80 — meaning our guests benefit from one of the most diverse expedition experiences available. With our 150-room hotel in Puerto Williams opening at the end of 2025, we are set to enhance our industry-leading Antarctica offering and continue to push industry boundaries to deliver a lifetime of vacations to our guests. 

 

Step onto the Last Continent with a Host of Options 

Discover the magic of Antarctica onboard our world-class expedition ships, offering the broadest, most diverse Antarctica voyages this season. Depending on your voyage, you’ll spend six to 22 days exploring wondrous landscapes and incredible wildlife. Our innovative six-day Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise option allows you to fly over the Drake Passage, providing a shorter travel option without compromising on the time spent in the destination. Our 10-day Antarctica Peninsula sailings from Puerto Williams provide the quintessential polar experience with approximately six days in the destination, while a 12-day variation extends deeper into the Polar Circle. Longer expedition options of 15 to 22 days allow for some of the most immersive deep dives into Antarctica and the Southern Ocean available to the most curious adventurers. 

Coming in 2025: The Southernmost Hotel on Earth 

A truly unrivaled experience awaits those wishing to explore the rugged landscape of Antarctica. Set to open in late 2025, we are developing a hotel in Puerto Williams, Chile — the southernmost city on Earth. The hotel will facilitate a uniquely frictionless journey to the continent, allowing our guests to enjoy our personalized service and warm hospitality throughout their entire travel experience. Guests embarking on our innovative Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise program — the fastest and most direct route to Antarctica — will fly directly to Puerto Williams from Santiago, Chile’s capital city, and then on to King George Island in Antarctica for a superior and seamless experience. 

Expeditions with More Expertise 

Having pioneered the luxury expedition cruise concept in 2008, we became the first travel brand to offer luxury Antarctica expeditions. We now offer the most enriching and personalized destination experiences available in Antarctica, with an industry-leading expedition team that comprises up to 28 experts in their field, knowledgeable kayak instructors, world-class onboard lectures, and some of the highest Zodiac-to-guest ratios in the industry, among other enriching features. 

Our expedition experts host guided walks ashore, identifying wildlife species, unique glacial and geological structures, and other fascinating features only found on an Antarctic expedition. Back on board, the team delivers insightful lectures that provide you with an overview of the day’s sightings and experiences.  

A Silversea Captain Helps Find Legendary Lost Ship 

One such lecture topic which has gained interest since the ship was located in 2022 is that of Ernest Shackleton and Endurance, the ship that sank in 1915 in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. Our talented historians bring the amazing survival story of Shackleton to life, contextualized within the golden age of exploration, through captivating storytelling and visual materials. In December 2022, Nicholas Crane, former president of the Royal Geographical Society, gave a series of talks on the history of polar exploration to guests aboard our Silver Endeavour, presenting original lantern slides from the Endurance expedition. And perhaps most interesting of all, our very own Captain Freddie Ligthelm was part of the 2022 expedition team that discovered Shackleton’s ship! 

With its fascinating history, out-of-this-world scenery, and an abundance of unique and unusual wildlife, a trip to the icy continent is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, even if you visit again and again. We hope you’ll soon join us as we explore the only place on Earth that feels like you’re on another planet.